Hat-body-felting machine.



No. 732,421. PA TENTED JUNE 30, 1903.

' J. LEONARD;

HAT BODY FELTING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 4, 1902. N0 MODEL.

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No. 732,421. V PATENTBD JUNE 30, 1903. J. LEONARD.

HAT BODY FELTING MACHINE. v

APPLIOATIOfi nun NOV. 4, 1902. V a sums-sum s.

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented June 30, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN LEONARD, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO WARING HAT MANUFACTURING (JOMPANY,-OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, A CORPORA- TION OF NEW YORK.

HIATA-BODY-FELTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 732,421, dated June 30, 1903.

Application filed November 4, 1902. Serial No, 130,044. (No model.)

2'0 all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN LEONARD, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Yonkers, \Vestchester county, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hat-Body-Felting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to machines pocket between them which is large enough to admit the cloth-covered roll of hat-bodies,

this cavity being closed at the top by the upper roller or rollers. The machinesare usually arranged with two bottom rollers mounted in fixed bearings and one or two rollers above them, which may be raised or lowered relatively thereto, for the purpose of imparting the necessary friction and pressure upon the small roll of hat-bodies to shrink and felt them. After theroll of hat bodi'es has been subjected to the rolling action for a short period of timesay from one to two minutesthe upper roller of the machine is moved away, so that the roll of h at-bodies may be removed, they being then unfolded, dipped again in hot water, and again rolled up in a different position within the cloth covering. The machine is operated as before, and this operation is repeated until the hat-bodies are shrunk and felted to the desired size, the hat-bodies during the process of shrinking and felting being removed from the machine and rerolled a great number of ti mes-sometimes fifty-before the operation is completed. An important reason for removingthe hats so often from "the present machines, in which the hats'are rolled compactly in cloths, as above stated, is to unfold them, turn them inside out, and

change their position, so as to prevent them from sticking together and to each other during the process of felting. This operation is known in the art as crozing. In most of these machines there is an upper roller, as stated, which roller imparts the necessary pressure, and the location of the roller is such that when pressure is applied to the roll of hat bodies they are rolled into a tight coil, with the result that only the outer hat-bodies or outer portions thereof are felted and shrunk, those portions lying in the center of the roll remaining only partially felted and shrunk,

as compared with the outer portion of the roll. All roller-an d-apron machines heretofore constructed, even if open at the top, have a tendency to form a tight cylindrical roll, in which the center hat-bodies always remain in the 1 hat bodies.

It is the object of my invention to provide a machine which will shrink or felt a large number of fur-hat bodiessay from two hundred to two hundred and fifty-in'a mass at one time and in a manner which does not require that they be rolled in cloths containing, to a roll, four to six hats, as is now universally practiced, requiring much skill and labor.

Another object is to provide a machine, with a trough open at the top, in which the relative position of the hat-bodies while being shrunk in a mass is constantly changing, thus preventing them from forming a tight cylindrical roll, in which the center bodies would remain bound in the center of the mass, where they would receive less felting action, thus producing non-uniform shrinking. By

this method of shrinking the hats and not rolling them compactly in cloths they are much less apt to stick together or to each other, thus obviating the labor of frequent crozing and removing from the machine. I attain this object by providing a machine of great capacity and of wide range of adj ustment, with the possibility of starting the action of felting gently and finishing it under as much squeezing action as may be required.

Vith these ends in view my invention consists of features of. construction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and then claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved hat-bodyfeltingmachine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of part of the sprocket-chain drive on line 3 3, Fig. 1, viewed outwardly from one end of the vat. Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation, the pressure-rollers being in full open position. Fig. 5 is a similar section, the pressure-rollers being in final closed position. Fig. (3 is a sectional detail of a roller-setting device. Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view of the automatic vibrating means for the front roller, and Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11 are diagrams representing some of the positions of the rollers when felting and shrinking hat-bodies by my improved machine.

The Vat A of the machine is mounted on suitable supports B, this vat containing a suitable amount of water, preferably heated by means of steam-pipes C, which are arranged below the water-level in the vat. The hatbodies may also be sprayed by jets of hot water, which issue from spray-pipes G 0 located respectively below and above the hatbodies being felted. At the front of the vat is a table or shelf A for containing the supply of hat-bodies to be placed in the machine and for receiving the felted hat-bodies after they have been removed from the machine. In the end walls a of the vat, which are raised, as shown, and will be referred to later,are j ournaled the shafts (l of a pair of rollers D D,these rollers being provided with longitudinal ribs or lags d, which are arranged at suitable intervals apart on the rollers and dip in the water in the vat, thus keeping the mass of bodies supplied with the necessary hot water, although it is evident that the scalding-water may be supplied in any other suitable manner. These rollers D D form the base, bottom, or materialsupporting portion of the trough, in which the mass of hat-bodies is placed; but it is evident that any other suitable form of traveling parts may be provided. Each of these rollers, which form the bed of the trough, has a companion roller which is shiftable or adjustable. The companion rollers E E are DIGSSIIl'C-I'OllGlS with shafts e and are provided with longitudinal ribs or lags c, similarly to the rollers D D' and are of preferably greater diameter than the same. The larger companion rollers E E are arranged to move concentrically with the rollers D D, respectively, and approximately through angles of about ninety degrees, more or less, according to requirements, so that in their adjustment the space between the rollers D E and the space between the rollers D E will not increase or diminish to permit any hat-body to slip between the rollers, and of course no hat-body can slip between the material-supporting rollers D D. To this end the shaft of roller E is supported in bearings of a pair of links F, which are pivoted on the shaft of the roller D, while the roller E is supported in bearings of a pair of links F, which are pivoted to the shaft of the roller D. These links F F permit of a wide range of movement of the rollers E E from the position shown in diagram in Fig.8 to position shown in Fig. 11. In the first position of the rollers E E a very shallow trough is formed, due to the range of downward movement afforded by the links, and in this first position the lower sides of the four rollers are substantially in one plane.

The roller E is adjusted by means of suitablyoperated levers, as is likewise the roller E. For convenience a weighted hand-lever G, pivoted to the supports B at g and connected with a link F of roller E by a suitable connecting-bar G, serves ,to swing the links F with the roller E backward or forward. A suitable handoperated binding device g serves to adjust and set the hand-lever G and operated parts in working position on a guide sector or quadrant 9 A similar hand-operated device 7L serves to set in position against a guide-sector h a second weighted handlever H, pivoted at 7L2 at the opposite side of the machine. This lever H is connected with a link F of roller E by a connecting-bar II for the purpose of moving the links F and roller E forward. It may be desirable at times to give the front roller E an up-anddown jigging or vibrating motion for loosening up the mass of hat-bodies and assisting in shifting their relative positions during the process of felting. One way to accomplish this is to form the bar G with a toggle-joint g", to which is applied a connecting-rod g", which is strapped around an eccentric g on the shaft (Z of the roller D, as shown in 2 and 7. The reciprocating connecting-rod g alternately breaks and straightens the toggle-joint, thereby giving an np-and-down vibrating motion to the front roller. Evidently the back roller E may have a jigging action, such as described for the front roller E, without departing from the spirit of the invention. The rollers are driven, preferably, by a suitable belt I, which is trained over a pulley I, fixed on the shaft of the rear material-supporting roller 1), which carries a sprocketwheel K, over which passes a sprocket-chain K, which also passes Over a sprocket-wheel on the shaft of the front material-supporting roller D. Over a second sprocket-wheel K Fig. 3, on the shaft of the roller D passes a sprocketchain Z, which also passes over a sprocket-wheel Z on the shaft of the rear pressure-roller E. Another sprocketchain, L,

passes over a sprocket-wheel 70 Fig. 3, on the mechanism the rollers D D E E are driven at a suitable rate of speed,while at the same time this driving mechanism permits the shifting or adjustment of the rollers E E around the rollers D D, respectively, and of the rollers E E toward each other. The shaft of the roller E may either be turned faster than the shaft of the roller E, so that the roller E will have a quicker action, or, to accomplish this, the

diameter of the roller E may be, as shown in the drawings, greater than the diameter of the roller E, so that there is a greater peripheral speed in the roller E. By making the roller E of greater diameter than the roller E an unsymmetrical trough P, of greater or less size, according to the adjustment of the adjustable rollers, is formed, which, when practically closed, is distorted into an unsymmetrical chamber. As before stated, the end walls a of the vat are raised. The purpose of this is to close both ends of the trough P and chamber formed therefrom in all positions of the squeezing or pressure rollers E E, thus preventing the hat-bodies from being forced out endwise between the rollers and preventing the discharge of water from the hat bodies at the ends of the machine. Mounted on the inner sides of the end walls a are thin sheet-metal disks M, the pivots m on which theyturn being preferably arranged at points above and between the lower rollers D D. The exposed surfaces of these disks are burnished, so as to be perfectly smooth, and the object of the same is to prevent abrasion of the hat-bodies, which would be produced while they are being treated in the chamber if these disks were not provided.

It is to be understoodthat the more the trough is contracted the greater is the squeezing action or pressure of the rollers and the tendency of the end hat-bodies to rub hard against the end walls. The disks rotate with the compressed hat-bodies without injuring them.

In operating the machine a quantity ofsay a couple of hundredhat-bodies is placed in the shallow gaping trough formed by the rollers when in normal position of the parts. (Shown in section in Fig. 4 and indicated in diagram in Fig. 8.) In this position of the parts the trough is very shallow and the action of the rollers or traveling surfaces or walls in the direction indicated by the arrow is gentle and has no pressure on the mass other than that resulting from their own Weight in the chamber. The rollers turn the hat-bodies over and over in a flattened mass with no ten dency to produce a circular roll, nor is there such tendency during any of the progressive stages of operation. There are a great number of different adjustments of'the rollers E E and some of their positions only are indicated in the diagrams. These positions may be the only progressive stages. As shown in diathe decrease of size of the trough.

gram Fig. 9, the front roller E has been swung slightly upwardly around the axis of the roller D, causing the roller E to contract the trough between the rollers E E, and this is done after the felt bodies have been somewhat shrunk, and which shrinkage permits The tumbling of the hat-bodies over and overin the trough in this phase of the operation is accomplished with morepressure than at the first stageof the operation. In diagram Fig. 10 the rear rollerE has been swung 011 its links concentrically with the axis of the roller D, thus causing it to approach the roller E, thereby further contracting the trough and tending to press more strongly upon the felt hat-bodies, which have been further shrunk and felted and which arenow better able to withstand this additional pressure. In diagram Fig. 11 the final possible position of the adjustable rollers is shown, in which position the said rollers are moved as near together as is desirable, so as to form a practically closed non-symmetrical chamber from the non-symmetrical trough, in which chamber the hat-bodies are further finally shrunk and felted in a mass which has no center of revolution. It will benoted that it is possible in all phases of adjustment of the adjustable rollers E E to form an unsymmetrical trough and an unsymmetrical chamber and that the hat-bodies will have no tendency to assume the form of a cylindrical roll. The result is that the hat-bodies throughout the Whole mass are uniformly shrunk and felted, as none of the hat-bodies will remain at the center of the mass, due to the turning over and 'over of the flattened and lopsided or irregularly-formed and shifting mass of hatbodies. by reason of the freedom of adjustment of the rollers E E the chamber, which is formed at the last stage of the process,'is partially closed and may be freely and widely opened for the purpose of forming the open trough to permit removal of the hat-bodies which may have been shrunk and felted.

It is evident that the invention is not limited to roller-machines, as any other adj ustable, movable, or rotary members with traveling surfaces may be substituted for the rollers, providing that at the start a wide gaping unsymmetrical troughis formed which is sh allow, so that no pressure is imparted to the hat-bodies at the outset and that during the process of felting the trough is contracted by successive stages until an unsymmetrical chamber is produced having no tendency to form a cylindrical roll of hat-bodies.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a hat-body-felting machine, the combination of a wide-open trough with traveling surfaces or walls, and means for contractin g the trough unsymmetricallyin pro gressive stages to form an unsymmetrical chamber,

A further point to be noted is that the trough and chamber being closed against escape of the hat-bodies during the final felting process, substantially as described.

2. In a hat-body-felting machine, the combination of an unsymmetrical wide open trough, closed at the ends, and having traveling surfaces or walls, and means for contracting the trough unsymmetrically in progressive stages to form an unsymmetrical chamber, the trough and chamber being closed against escape of the hat-bodies during the final felting process, substantially as described.

3. In a hat-body-felting machine, the combination of a vat, a wide-open trough within the vat and closed at the ends by the ends of the vat, the trough having traveling surfaces or walls, and means for contracting the trough unsymmetrically in progressive stages to form an unsymmetrical chamber,the trough and chamber being closed against escape of the hat-bodies during the final felting process, substantially as described.

4. In a hat-body-felting machine, the combination of a pair of material-supporting rollers, a pair of cooperating shiftable pressurerollers, each being a companion of and cooperating with one of the material-supporting rollers, the pressure-rollers being normally located at opposite sides of the pair of material-supporting rollers, to form a trough wide open at the top, and means for moving the pressure-rollers toward each other and for moving each of the pressure-rollers concentrically with and around its companion material-supporting roller, substantially as described.

5. In a hat-body-felting machine, the combination of a pair of material-supporting rollers, a pair of cooperating shiftable pressurerollers, each being a companion of and cooperating with one of the material-supporting rollers, the pressure-rollers being normally located at opposite sides of the pair of material-supporting rollers, to form a trough wideopen at the top, the trough being closed at the ends, and means for moving the pressurerollers toward each other and for moving each of the pressure-rollers concentrically with and around its companion materialsupporting roller, substantially as described.-

6. I11 a hat-body-felting machine, the combination of n1aterial-supporting and pressure means forming a shallow trough fully open at the top, and mechanism for moving the said parts relatively so as to gradually contract the trough around the material to be felted,inwardl y from both the sides and downwardly from the top, substantially as described.

'7. In a hat-body-felting machine, the combi nation of material-supporti11g and pressure rollers forming a trough fully open at the top, and means for so moving the rollers relatively as to gradually contract the trough around the material to be felted, inwardly from both the sides and downwardly from the top, substantially as described.

8. In a hat-body-felting machine, the combination of material-supporting and pressure rollers forming a trough fully open at the top, the trough being closed at the ends, and means for so moving the rollers relatively as to gradually contract the trough around the material to be felted, inwardly from both the sides and downwardly from the top, substantially as described.

9. In a hat-body-felting machine, the combination of material-supportin g rollers, a pair of links pivoted to swing concentrically with one of said rollers, a pressure-roller mounted in the outer ends of said links, and means for rotating said rollers, substantially as described.

10. In a hat-body-felting machine, the combination of a pair of material-supporting rollers, two pairs of links, one pair for each roller and swinging concentric therewith, pressure-rollers mounted in the swinging ends of said links, and means for rotating the rollers, substantially as described.

11. In ahat-body-felting machine, the combination of a pair of material-su pportin g rollers and pressure-rollers movable concentric with the material-supporting rollers through angles approximating ninety degrees, substantially as described.

12. In ahat-bod y-felting machine, the combination of a pair of material-supporting rollers, a pair of pressure-rollers, one of the pressure-rollers being a shiftable roller arranged normally in the plane of the pair of the material-supporting rollers and being a companion roller to one of them, and means for moving the shiftable roller concentric with its companion material-supportin g roller, substantially as described.

13. In a hat-body-felting machine, the com-- bin ation of four rollers arranged normally and approximately in a horizontal plane, the two intermediate rollers being material-supporting rollers and the two outer rollers being pressure-rollers and being larger than the intermediate rollers to form atrough, and means for moving the pressure-rollers toward each other to form a chamber, substantially as described.

14. In a hat-body-felting maehine,the combination of a pair of material-supporting rollers, pressure-rollers arranged normally at 0pposite sides of the pair of material-supporting rollers, and being of largerdiameter than the same, and means for moving the pressurerollers concentrically around their companion material-supporting rollers, substantially as described.

15. In a hat-body-felting machine, the combination of a pair of material-supporting rollers, a pair of shift-able pressure-rollers of larger diameter than the material-supporting rollers and of different diameter from each other, the front pressure roller being the smaller of the pair, and means for moving the pressure-rollers toward each other and concentrically around the material supporting rollers, substantially as described.

16. In a hat-body-felting machine, a trough with traveling surfaces, having adjustable sides gaping wide open at the top, and means for adjusting the sides to gradually contract the trough from the sides and top toward the material in the trough, said trough being unsymmetrical or non-uniform in shape at all times, substantially as described.

17. In a hat-body-felting machine, the combination of a wide-open trough formed of feltingrollers, and means for contracting the trough unsymmetrically in progressive stages to form anunsymmetrical cha1nber,the trough and chamber being closed against escape of the hat-bodies duringthe final felting process, substantially as described.

18. In ahat-body-felting machine, the combination of a pair of material-supporting rollers, a pair of cooperating shiftable pressurerollers, each being a companion of and cooperating with one of the material-supporting rollers, the pressure-rollers being normally located at opposite sides of the pair of material-supporting rollers, to form an unsym-.

metrical trough wide open at the top, the trough being closed at the ends, and means for moving the pressure-rollers toward each other and for moving each of the pressurerollers concentrically with and around its companion material-supporting roller in pro gressive stages to form an unsymmetrical chamber, substantially as described.

19. In a hat-body-felting machine, the combination of a Wide-open trough formed of felting-rollers, means for adjusting one of the outer felting-rollers, and means for imparting a jigging action to said roller in its adjusted positions, substantially as described.

20. In a hat-body-felting machine, the combination of a wide-open trough formed of felting-rollers, means for adjusting the front roller, and means for imparting a jigging action to said roller in its adjusted positions.

Signed at Yonkers, New York,this 30th day of October, 1902.

JOHN LEONARD. Witnesses:

L. W. KETCHUM, JULIUS TACKMAN. 

